Remarks of President Brian Cladoosby14th Annual State of Indian Nations AddressWashington, DCJanuary 14, 2016A MOMENT OF PROGRESS AND PROMISEI thank the Creator for bringing us together. My fellow tribal leaders, members of Congress, members ofthe Administration, Veterans of the U.S. armed forces, friends and partners gathered here, and watchingfrom home … thank you for joining us for the State of Indian Nations address.On this day, we meet at a moment of progress and promise in Indian Country. Progress made possibleby tribal self-determination. This Administration – and a growing number in Congress – understand thatwhen tribes forge their own paths, Indian Country benefits and America benefits.Two days ago, President Obama delivered his final State of the Union Address to talk about America’sprogress. He said “But such progress in not inevitable. It is the result of choices we make together.”This morning, I want to reflect on the progress that Indian Country has made, in the face of thechallenges we have inherited… and recognize the promise we can seize, by strengthening the selfdeterminationthat tribes have always had.OUR NATION-TO-NATION RELATIONSHIPWhen our ancestors first welcomed European settlers to this continent, indigenous nations had formeda wide range of strong and sophisticated systems of governance.The Wampanoag, the Muscogee, the Anishinaabe, the Ottowa alliance… all existed long before coloniesand states and, ultimately, the United States. There were six tribal nations in the Iroquois confederacy.This will sound familiar to you: Civilian representatives, chosen to serve in a central government, withseparate military leadership. Benjamin Franklin said, in so many words: If the Six Nations can do it, whycan’t the colonies?This indigenous framework became America’s framework. And as the U.S. government took shape, itcontinued to recognize the self-determination and independence of tribal nations.The Constitution puts it plainly. It gives Congress the power, and I quote “To regulate Commerce withforeign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian tribes.”That’s WITH foreign nations. AMONG states. And WITH Indian tribes.But our right to retain our powers of self-government is not just printed in the text of the Constitution. Ithas also been affirmed in laws, executive orders, and Supreme Court decisions. Thomas Jefferson wroteto President George Washington – and I quote – “Indians [have] full, undivided and independentsovereignty as long as they choose to keep it, and this might be forever.”1 End quote.2This history isn’t taught in most schools. But it should be. Because the relationship with tribalgovernments was central to the early growth of the United States.Back then, tribal nations had a valuable resource – land. The United States declared itself to haveterritorial authority over our lands – and through hundreds of treaties and other agreements, triballands were placed in TRUST by the United States government. That is how the United States became ourtrustee.It promised to protect and uphold our right to govern ourselves; to support the right and ability of tribalgovernments to care for their own people; and to help us manage our remaining lands and resources inour best interests. These are not mere agreements. These promises are treaties between nations. Underthe Constitution, they are the supreme law of the land – and always will be.That was the beginning of our relationship. It was based on respect and full of promise – just as it istoday. But our relationship hasn’t always been so promising.“THE PROGRESS OF CIVILIZATION”We have inherited an anguished history that should not be ignored, but understood – so it will never berepeated. Our history produced generations of trauma, poverty, and abuse that we are still fighting toundo. Tribes removed from their homelands. Families forced across the country. Lands and resourcesstolen – despite the guarantees of treaties, laws, executive orders, and judicial decisions.Our rights, our needs, and our hopes for the future were denied, or ignored. Many thought tribes woulddisappear. They thought our cultures would vanish. They believed our people would assimilate.That way of thinking is carved deeply into the dominant American psyche. It’s carved into old, outdatedfederal policies. It’s even carved into stone. Over the Senate entrance of the United States Capitol,there is a marble frieze. A massive sculpture, called “The Progress of Civilization.”It begins with Indians beside a grave. In the middle is a pioneer, lady liberty, and a soldier. It ends withwaves of grain representing fertility, and an anchor representing hope. Here is how the Architect of theCapitol’s official website describes it: “Indian chief, Indian mother and child, and Indian Grave representthe early days of America.” End quote.That sculptor thought a grave represented the fate of tribal nations. It just goes to show: He knewnothing of the resilience of Native people!We have not disappeared, and we are not victims. We have persevered. We are survivors and we aregrowing stronger every day. We are thriving 21st century governments, built on self-determination. Yes,our ancestors were central to America’s early days. But we are also central to America’s present – andvital to its future.Progress is not built on the graves of our people. It is built with our people and by our people. 3PROGRESS MADE THROUGH SELF-DETERMINATIONI would like to take a moment to recognize those leaders of the past, Ernie Stevens Senior, WilmaMankiller, Wendell Chino, Joe DeLacruz and so many others. They were relentless in promoting thesimple fact that progress in Indian Country was built with our people, and by our people. Through theirefforts, tribal self-determination returned to the forefront of federal policy.In 1970, President Nixon addressed a joint session of Congress and said: “On virtually every scale ofmeasurement – employment, income, education, health – the condition of the Indian people ranks atthe bottom. The time has come to break decisively with the past and to create the conditions for a newera in which the Indian future is determined by Indian acts and Indian decisions.”Nixon urged Congress to empower tribal governments to do what is best for tribal citizens. And forty-sixyears later, we have proven the wisdom of his conviction.The Pueblo of Isleta now runs its local elementary school – for the first time in over a century, taking itover from the federal government. In those hallways and classrooms, Isleta students are now immersedin their language, their values, and their traditions.Likewise, the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla have reshaped their child welfare system to strengthenfamilies. Now, seventy percent more Umatilla children are thriving with their families in their homes andcommunities.The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes developed new skills training, job placement, andprofessional mentoring programs. The impact? They cut their unemployment rate in half. As onecaseworker put it, “When adults are productive in a family, it makes for happy children.”And the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa have an Assisted Living Residence, where an eldercan lead an independent life – in the comfort of her or his own community and culture. This is what wesee, after forty-six years of progress under tribal self-determination. Slowly but surely, America is relearningwho we are and what we are capable of.Outside of government, a tide of respect is building. Leading companies are engaging with us, partneringwith us, and standing with us.Adidas recently announced it would offer funding and design talent to help schools choose new, morerespectful mascots for their athletic teams. Already, nearly a hundred schools have reached out toAdidas.Meanwhile, the state of California banned the R-word – the name of the Washington football team – inpublic schools. The Seattle Times did the same in its newspaper. I urge other states and companies tojoin them as they see us for who we are.Today, we are growing our economies, preparing students to succeed, delivering high-quality healthcare, and solving the unique challenges facing tribal communities. Today, we are proving that ourgovernments are far more effective than other governments in meeting the needs of our people.That was the promise our elders dreamed of, and the vision that President Nixon saw back in 1970. 4But if we want to make tribal self-determination the prevailing federal policy in this century, we havemuch more work to do.PROGRESS MADE THROUGH PARTNERSHIPWe need to modernize the trust relationship. We need to replace antiquated laws and regulations withpolicies that trust and empower tribes to govern. We need a relationship based not on paternalism andcontrol, but on deference and support; a partnership where tribes continue to meet their ownchallenges and chart their own path forward.It’s not enough to have a seat at the table. It’s not enough to be involved in decisions. We need policiesand processes that recognize tribes as true partners in governing. Because Indian Country is the sourceof solutions that work for Indian Country.During this administration, we have worked on a bipartisan basis to fix what was broken, build on whatworks, and create what is needed. There are countless examples.We fought for governmental parity by passing the Tribal General Welfare Exclusion Act unanimously – sothat when we receive a basic tribal governmental service, it’s not taxed as extra income.We fought for health security by passing the Indian Health Care Improvement Act – so we couldstrengthen preventative care and modernize tribal care networks.We fought to restore our jurisdiction by passing the Tribal Law & Order Act – so tribes can moreeffectively investigate crimes, prosecute criminals, and strengthen public safety.We fought to protect Native women by strengthening the Violence Against Women Act – empoweringtribes to prosecute any lawbreaker – Native or not – who commits domestic violence on tribal lands.We fought to empower tribal control over tribal lands by partnering with the Department of Interior toamend leasing and Right of Way regulations.I could go on and on. While there are many legal and ethical reasons to strengthen tribal selfdeterminationthere is also a practical reason: It works.President Obama has certainly embraced this concept – as President Nixon did. We expect the nextpresident and the next Congress to work with us, to build on this progress.PROGRESS WE CAN MAKEIn this election year, I invite any candidate, of any party: Come to Indian Country. See for yourself: Tribalnations are building brighter futures for their citizens – and all Americans. While Indian Country is stillrecovering from generations of damaging policies, more than four decades of tribal self-determinationhave launched our resurgence. Today, tribal nations are innovating – and leading the way.With the 2016 election season well underway, the national dialogue is taking shape. I want to touch onfour important areas where tribes are contributing to that dialogue: Community security -- economic 5equality -- education, health and wellness -- and climate change. These are challenges that affect everyAmerican – Native and non-Native. They are areas where tribal nations have made significant progress– and our entire nation can, as well.1. Community SecurityLet’s start with community security.The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians created a robust judicial system that incorporates traditionalChoctaw values: preserving the peace and respecting personal dignity. Their system features specialteen and healing-to-wellness courts that are strengthening their community.It’s one of many examples from decades of tribal governments’ success in building capable systems toenforce our laws and administer justice. America can build on this progress by providing betteralternatives to incarceration, well-grounded rehabilitation, and, most of all, effective crime prevention.Let’s create restorative justice centers based on Native concepts.The recent decision by the Justice Department to accept jurisdiction of the Milles Lacs Ojibwe -- underthe Tribal Law and Order Act -- is a great step toward improving public safety, and addressing theproblems caused by Public Law 280. But our job is still not done, there are so many more reservationsthat need this federal help with law enforcement, particularly in California.We call for reauthorization of the Tribal Law and Order Act. Congress should fully fund importantjuvenile justice programs, efforts to collect accurate and relevant data, and preventative services for allfamilies in Indian Country.Today, Native women and children experience the highest rates of violence in the country. Tribes needfull authority to protect them from harm caused by non-Indians on tribal lands. Across America, statesand territories receive direct assistance from the Crime Victims Fund – and it’s time that tribes do, too.Working together, we can secure our communities.2. Economic EqualitySecond, let’s talk about economic equality. Tribes are building more equitable, more robust economies.Take the tribes in the Idaho region. Five tribal nations are among the state’s top employers. They boostIdaho’s economy by more than 650 million dollars a year – supporting twice as many workers as theyemploy directly.2It goes to show that when tribes are empowered to govern … our communities andneighbors are safer, healthier, and more prosperous.America can build on this progress by empowering tribal governments to eliminate the gaps that persistin income, jobs, and education.Tribes should be able to collect taxes without placing extra burdens on local businesses. We call on theDepartment of Interior to amend The Indian Trader regulations … eliminate dual taxation in IndianCountry … and empower tribes to invest in the infrastructure and services that make economicdevelopment possible. 6In addition, tribes must be able to issue tax-exempt bonds. They are an indispensable tool that everyother modern government uses to seed private sector growth. Tribal governments must be treated thesame as state and local governments on labor issues. And we must ensure that all tribes can restoretheir local land bases. I want to thank this Administration for partnering with us to achieve this goal.3. Education, Health and WellnessThird, tribes are looking after the education, health and wellness of their communities. Education is apromise made in exchange for our land. We have more work to do, to ensure that tribal governmentsare directing the education of their youth – especially on schools located on tribal lands.We can do this by incorporating tribal culture and language into the classroom; by acknowledging therole of tribal education departments in Indian education; and by ensuring that students have adequate,safe, and modernized schools and environments in which to learn and thrive.By working together, we can deliver economic justice while meeting a goal we all share…to give everychild a chance to succeed, so that students like Dahkota Brown can achieve their hopes and dreams.Wellness is also critical to achievement. Look at the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center’s cutting-edgeDiabetes Care Center. Its holistic health and preventative care programs are providing a model for clinicseverywhere. America can build on this progress with investments that strengthen the physical, mental,emotional, and spiritual health of every tribal community. For more than a decade, Nike’s N7 Fund andothers have partnered with us to support fitness programs.But more can be done, and we are asking the federal government to permanently reauthorize theSpecial Diabetes Programs for Indians, so that tribal communities can continue to combat this disease.At home, my own Swinomish Tribe recently became the first in the lower 48 to bring oral health care toour people through Dental Therapists. We commend Alaska Natives for being the first to do this. I amconfident that others will follow their lead.Broadly speaking, America needs to do more of what works and less of what doesn’t work.When funding through the Indian Health Service hits delays, it creates uncertainty for clinics, hospitals,staff, and patients. We call on Congress to provide advanced appropriations for the Indian HealthService. We also call on both the Administration and Congress to relieve our communities of thefinancial burden they will bear under the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate. This simple fix willgo a long way to secure the health of our citizens and make sure our kids grow up in healthycommunities.4. Climate ChangeLast – but certainly not least – is the threat of global climate change, which threatens not only foodsecurity … but all of humanity. Some will deny this threat even exists. But Indian Country is on thefrontlines. We have seen it. Our tribal scientists and elders are documenting: rising tides in the Arctic;altered migration patterns; unpredictable harvest times; and, the worst droughts in recorded history.7Native scientists and policymakers are working to address these challenges and prevent even worsecalamities. Nations from Blue Lake Rancheria to the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe are crafting ambitious plansto limit their carbon footprint, and reverse the impacts of climate change on their lands.And in Paris, tribal leaders were proud to take their rightful place among leaders of nations. They sharedtheir scholarship and their indigenous knowledge, and helped the world reach a historic agreement. Weask for the establishment of a permanent Climate Adaptation Task Force, in collaboration with triballeaders.In discussions about how to mitigate the effects of climate change, manage natural resources, andprotect our sacred places … Native peoples stand ready to serve as experts and partners. Together, wecan combat climate change.CONCLUSION: PROMISE OF TOMORROWConsider all we’re achieving today. At every level of government, more and more leaders are seeing thatthe path to a brighter future for America runs through Indian Country. Imagine how much further we’llgo, as the next class of American legislators and policymakers further strengthen tribal selfdetermination.

But let’s be honest: Progress will not continue on its own. WE must drive it – in the halls of ourgovernments… in our relationships with our communities… and in voting booths across the country.Thatis how we honor those who came before us – and those who will follow.I think about my great-great grandfather, Kel-Kahl-Tsoot, who put his X on the Point Elliot Treaty in1855.3 My dad, who is 82, carries his Indian name. And I think about my grandchildren, the seventhgeneration since the signing of that treaty. So much has changed in that time.This is the question before us today: Where do we want Indian Country to be in another sevengenerations. How about seventy generations? What progress will we make to help them achieve theirpromise?It is up to us. ALL of us. Just as it always has been. Thank you for your time.May the Creator bless you, bless the United States of America, and bless Indian Country.Thank you.# # #